Donald Trump's Millennial Problem: New CALinnovates Survey Shows GOP Nominee Struggling to Get Youth Vote

Clinton Leads Trump 38-17 Among Likely Millennial Voters

Economy, Jobs and Equality are Top Issues for Millennials

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Jul 19, 2016, 06:00 ET

SAN FRANCISCO, July 19, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With four months to go until the election, a survey of Millennials suggests that GOP businessman Donald Trump has his work cut out to win over younger voters. According to the CALinnovates survey, Millennials who said they intend to vote favor Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton over Trump by a 38-17 percent margin, with Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson tallying 11 percent.

In an election that has attracted enormous attention, 70 percent of Millennials (Americans between the ages of 19-31) said they intend to vote in November, according to the survey conducted by Vrge Analytics, which polled 810 Millennials from June 30-July 9.

According to the survey, 72 percent of Millennials believe that the outcome of the presidential election will have an impact on their life.

When asked to rank the most important issues facing the country, Millennials pointed to improving the economy and jobs, equality for all Americans, making health care affordable and accessible and preserving the environment.

Other hot-button issues such as strengthening national security, addressing the immigration issue, addressing the issue of gun ownership and preserving America as a global power trailed.

"While there is a long time until election day, what this survey shows loud and clear is that Millennials are engaged in the 2016 election campaign and are invested in the outcome," said Mike Montgomery, executive director of CALinnovates.

"Our poll clearly shows the central role technology plays in Millennial lives, as well as in their quest for economic prosperity and the American Dream," says CALinnovates chief evangelist Kish Rajan. "Both major party campaigns must do more to address these key matters in their policy agendas and outreach leading into this crucial election."

56 percent of Millennials in fact said that the candidates are raising issues they care about – but they are critical of the national media, who they say are focused on the wrong things. 58 percent of Millennials said they do not see the issues they care most about being represented in what the national media chooses to cover.

Despite an image of cynicism, Millennials are bullish about the future. 54 percent said they are "very much" or "somewhat" optimistic about their economic future and by a near 2-1 majority they believe that the American Dream is still achievable (51 percent-27 percent).

Part of that optimism seems to be technology based: 61 percent said that new technologies and innovations are contributing to my economic prosperity, while only 13 percent said these technologies are impeding their economic prosperity.

The survey of 810 Millennials has a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percent.

About CALinnovates
CALinnovates is a coalition of technology leaders, startups and entrepreneurs serving as a bridge between the thriving and fast-paced tech communities based in California and the public policy communities in Sacramento and Washington, DC.

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SOURCE CALinnovates